Mrs. Lincoln: A Life

by: Catherine Clinton

Published by: HarperCollins

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

Much has been written over the years about Abraham Lincoln and with the 200th anniversary of his birth on the horizon in 2009 many books are appearing about him, his life, and his presidency. It’s been many long years since there has been a definitive book discussing the much misunderstood Mary Todd Lincoln. Catherine Clinton’s Mrs. Lincoln: A Life is an informative and interesting look at the wife of Abraham Lincoln.

I must admit I didn’t know a great deal about Mary Todd Lincoln and I think that made Clinton’s book a joy and delight to read. Clinton delves into “old” material and addresses some areas of Mrs. Lincoln’s life that are revealed through newer found letters.

Clinton believes Mrs. Lincoln was not, as has sometimes been thought, a Southern sympathizer. While it is true she was a Southerner (transported to the North), her sympathies did not rest with the ideas of the south.

I learned that Mrs. Lincoln’s formal education was far greater than her husbands, she was able to engage in dialogue with diplomats in French, and her mental health deteriorated while in the White House. The personal touch by Clinton’s telling of Mrs. Lincoln’s history makes the learning of her trials and challenges with the press, her children (Robert and Eddie) life in Washington, and her life as a widow a journey of understanding of the woman who walked beside one of the greatest Presidents of the United States.

Armchair Interviews says: Mrs. Lincoln: A Life is a must read!